Overview of electronic signature law and its legality in Switzerland

Electronic signatures were legalized in Switzerland on December 19, 2003, when the Federal Law on Electronic Signatures (further referred to as ZertES) came into effect. It’s worth noting that there is no requirement to sign contracts to verify them — a contract becomes effective when two legally registered companies reach an agreement (in written, verbal or electronic form).

Electronic signature laws in Switzerland hold eSignatures to the same standards as hand-written signatures. Here are the answers to frequently asked questions surrounding the laws:

Can I use eSignatures for business in Switzerland?

Are eSignatures court-admissible in Switzerland?

What is the legal model of an eSignature in Switzerland?

Yes, you can use eSignatures to verifying the majority of business documents.*

Yes, you can provide an eSignature as proof of a contract agreement in court.

The tiered model means that Qualified Electronic Signature is fully court-admissible, while the other eSignatures require more evidence to be validated.

* The list of exceptions will be provided in the next paragraphs.

The types of electronic signatures in Switzerland and their requirements

ZertES plays exactly the same role as eIDAS (a similar electronic signature law applicable in the European Union. These two eSignature laws regulate the activities of services for electronic certification and establish the requirements for each type of electronic signatures.

Standard Electronic Signatures

According to ZertES, a standard electronic signature (SES) is data in an electronic form which is used for further authentication of other data in electronic form. There are no specific requirements for this type, but the Swiss eSignatures law accepts them if the signatures comply with XAdES, PAdES, and CAdES standards. This decision was made due to the corresponding international agreements.

Advanced Electronic Signatures

An advanced electronic signature (AES) is intended to minimize the risks related to Standard Electronic Signatures. To be valid, the signature should meet the specific requirements and:

Have a unique link to its signatory

Be able to identify a signatory

Contain only data which is under the sole control of the signatory

Be protected in such a way that it’s possible to track down any changes in the data

How do I satisfy these requirements? One of the best ways is to use a digital signature based on PKI. Those signatures are tied to a Digital Certificate which can be received only after verification by the Certificate Authority. To get this certificate, you need to provide all the necessary documents which can confirm your identity.

Using such kind of identity confirmation, you become the only holder of the private key which is applied when you sign any document with this certificate. Also, the system automatically checks whether anybody made changes to the document after and each time the document is signed.

Qualified Electronic Signatures

Swiss electronic signatures law allows you to go beyond advanced electronic signatures and use qualified electronic signature (QES). This type should be linked not only to the Digital Certificate but also produced with a secure signature creation device. Even though ZertES establish more strict requirements for QES, they can be provided as full-fledged evidence in court. QES should have:

A serial number of a qualified Digital Certificate

Signatory’s full name or pseudonym

Length of the validity period

The scope of the certificate

Signature verification

Detailed information about the issuer (name, state, and QES) and the name of the national or foreign accreditation body that accredited the issuer

Proof of recognition by certification services

Unique signature key

Value of transactions

To enhance your AES and turn it into QES you need to reach to a qualified and trusted service provider which can issue qualified certificates according to ZertES specifications.

The list of documents that should be signed by hand:

Real property transfer contracts and deeds

Inheritance contracts

Contracts of surety if conducted with a natural person

Articles of incorporation of stock companies and of limited liability companies

Last will

All those documents except the last will should undergo a formal notary process to be valid, therefore it is best to not use eSignatures on these types of documents.

How can I use PandaDoc eSignatures in Switzerland?

PandaDoc eSignatures comply with the eSignature laws of 42 countries including Switzerland. Because of this, you can use any kind of eSignatures to run and manage your business in Switzerland. With PandaDoc, you have the ability to type, draw or upload your signature depending on the purpose of your document.

PandaDoc was designed to make paperwork less time-consuming and more efficient. When you use our solution for eSignatures, you will automate your signing process and have the ability to track the status of your proposals, quotes, and contract thus helping you to close deals faster.

Moreover, our customers can allow their customers to sign documents from their mobile device or computer. These features speed up the entire sales process and give you the opportunity to spend your time on more important tasks.

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